Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Ben Husband

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta jealous of "marvellous" Man Utd advantage

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith belies Manchester United’s “marvellous” attacking talent is enough to make Mikel Arteta jealous.

United go into this weekend’s clash without Anthony Martial, as the Frenchman serves the final game of his three-match suspension.

But with that being said, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are coming off a five star display against RB Leipzig, which saw all three of their first-choice attackers net.

Mason Greenwood opened the scoring, before a Marcus Rashford hat-trick and Martial penalty earned them a stunning 5-0 win in the Champions League.

Marcus Rashford score a second-half hat-trick in the 5-0 win over RB Leipzig (REUTERS)

Edinson Cavani could replace Martial to make his full United debut, with the Red Devils boasting a forward line that Smith believes gives United a major advantage over Arteta's squad.

"In Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood, United have some marvellous young talent," Smith told the Evening Standard.

"In Edinson Cavani, they also have an old master with a clinical eye. It’s enough to make anyone jealous, not least a manager trying to bridge the gap."

Mikel Arteta's side have failed to score in their last two Premier League games (AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal meanwhile, have failed to score in their last two top-flight games, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang enduring a five-game drough in the league.

And Smith believes in order for Arteta’s tenure to really take off, their attacking talents must hit form.

"To get a result at Old Trafford, Arsenal’s new-found sturdiness will be needed once again," he added.

"To generate more optimism, the attack must find teeth that have gone missing.

Do Manchester United have better attacking players than Arsenal? Have your say here.

"The Gunners have become very solid under Arteta, rarely giving much away. But going forward? It has suddenly got a bit awkward, the old fluidity and flair nowhere to be seen.

"In fairness, that was always going to happen. In radically adjusting the mindset to become more resilient, Arsenal’s attacking threat was bound to be compromised.

"Finding the right balance is the tough challenge now for a manager armed with less material than practically all of his rivals.

"Look at Tottenham and Manchester United, two teams also harbouring top-four ambitions. Both have more quality and choice in the forward positions."

*Sign up to the Mirror Football email here for the latest news and transfer gossip

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.